From our May/June Issue
People have been struggling with the COVID-19 crisis since early January. A trifecta of an unstable economy, strict social distancing, and an insurmountable wave of anxiety combined with a tremendous lack of motivation caused by online schooling makes it feel as if the world is crashing.
Even through a chaotic time in a pandemic, essential workers are not shying away from their responsibilities. Doctors, nurses, maintenance workers, pharmacists, and food market employees have been working 24/7 since the start of quarantine.
Due to a high number of infected individuals, doctors and nurses work day and night to care for patients admitted to hospitals. Every day spent at work is a day spent with their lives at risk where they are exposed to the virus.
Adding on the stress on their physical health, doctors and nurses rarely get time to relax at home. As the number of those infected and seeking treatment increases, so do hospital shift hours..
Doctors and hospital staff should be appreciated at all times – not only during crises. While being exposed to COVID-19 can have harmful consequences, hospital workers have been exposed to other illnesses in their jobs since the beginning.
“[Doctors] have always worked the day and night shifts with patients who have deadly contagious diseases. We have always been essential. This virus doesn’t change that fact,” shares Jonathan Licona who is a CNA at Cleveland Clinic in Florida.
Doctors and nurses are not the only ones risking exposure by going to work: other workers that work for small businesses are committed to their responsibilities too.
Many underrated workers don’t get enough recognition for their work because they are categorized as below-average performers.
Mailmen, tow truck drivers, and waste management crews continue to work every day to satisfy customers’ needs. As the demand for essential products such as food and toiletries grow, these underappreciated workers are called to work during this pandemic.
While families rush to stock up on food items to last them in quarantine, Employees rush back and forth to make sure shelves are filled. While families get to be home safe, doctors and nurses spend every minute at risk.
Essential workers are the ones who assure that people’s houses are piled with food, necessity resources, and personal items. They should be respected and valued for their admirable work, especially during these tough times. They are our unexpected heroes.
